THIS REVIEW IS BY: Tom Hernandez
BOOK TITLE: The Book of Cain
AUTHOR: James Pressler
GENERAL SYNOPSIS:
Cain, the son of Adam, has lived for 6,000 years unable to be judged by humans as his punishment for killing his brother, Abel. Therefore, he cannot enjoy any kind of human interaction, leaving him very lonely. Then a series of events capped by a vicious murder puts him in position to be judged and, possibly, be released from the “curse” of immortality.
GENERAL IMPRESSIONS:
Complex, layered, thoughtful, sad, wry, and terrifically deceptive. It explored the depths of humanity, loneliness, spirituality, morality, and sanity in ways I didn’t expect, forcing me to some dark places of my own.
HOW WAS THIS BOOK SIGNIFICANT FOR YOU? HOW WILL IT AFFECT YOUR WRITING?
I don’t write much fiction and have never really written any kind of “mystery.” I know enough about the genre to know that it’s very difficult to do well. My thought process (and writing) is fairly linear. I don’t do well with “puzzles”! But I may give it a try, if only in a short story. Thanks Jim!